“Here’s the secret that we don’t seem to understand, the wonderful connection we’re not making: Curiosity is the tool that sparks creativity. Curiosity is the technique that gets to innovation.”
– Brian Grazer, in A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life
Tomorrow’s DD will really drive this point home, but for now, let’s ask ourselves, “Selves, do we think of curiosity as a tool? As a technique?” I think not. But Grazer’s point — and it’s a good one — is that we simply take some of our greatest tools for granted.
Curiosity can be God-given, but it need not be God-given. In fact, as children, most of us have a deeply engrained curiosity that causes us, at about age three, to ask “Why?” until at least 47% of the adults within 50 feet break down in tears. As children, we’re fascinated by the new thing, the new kid, the new pet or the new flavor. We’re intrigued and insatiable in our pursuit of understanding — in short, we ask, we dream, we try things.
Until some dopey adult sucks all the curiosity out of us. Maybe it’s a standardized test. Maybe it’s a parent without the patience to teach little hands to do something their big hands have done thousands of times. Maybe it’s a teacher who long ago left the kids behind — all of them, not just one of them. Maybe it’s a crappy boss, a bully in the hallway or a coach that glowers instead of inspires.
One of the greatest lessons I learned from Dad (and there were literally hundreds of them) was to take care of my tools. My baseball glove from high school and college is pristine, perfectly broken in and ready for my next game of catch, even though all my joints are telling me that I’m done playing. But that glove is ready. My chef’s knife is sharp, ready to chop or mince whatever I might put to its blade.
So, why is my curiosity rusty? Why is it outside where the rain and the sprinklers might rust it, remove all its suppleness and dull its edge?
So, while tomorrow holds a great example of how to apply the technique and put the tool to work — for now, let’s just pledge to get some glove oil or a sharpening stone and get our tool in better shape. I’m curious how much of a difference that will make.
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